1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, a system and a computer program product for determining club head speed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, a device and a computer program product for determining the characteristics of a swing including club head speed and golf ball speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The distance a golf ball will travel depends on the velocity of the golf ball after it is struck. The golf ball velocity in turn depends on the velocity of the club head of a golf club striking the golf ball or momentum transfer, where momentum is defined as mass times velocity. Thus, both the mass of the club and its velocity or speed is important to golfers in a variety of circumstances. Knowing club head speed and golf ball speed are important to golfers because it helps in the selection of golf clubs as well as tracks a golfer's improvement. The need to monitor the golfer's stroke, in particular club head speed, and the alignment of drives has long been recognized.
Techniques have been suggested that use accelerometers to measure club head speed. Other techniques employ sensors and a CCD camera that can be triggered to measure the motion and velocity of a game ball as well as the swing speed of the club head striking the golf ball. Another technique monitors the three coordinates of a golfer's swing in three dimensions (3D). These technologies use video, CCD or CMOS two dimensional (2D) imagers that operate with MHz cycles (clock rate) or very fast shutter speeds to sense these short time frame events. Golf clubs have been modified to include electronic sensors that provide information on at least club head speed. However, the existing techniques to measure club head speed are limited by the need to set up relatively complex optical or electronic devices, the need for alignments of devices, or the need to modify quality golf clubs changing their balance and affecting a player's performance. In addition, the multiple two dimensional image arrays, for example 2,000×2,000 pixels or 4,000,000 pixels obtained in such measurements, contain excessive amounts of unneeded information that are a burden to analyze and discard in what needs to be light weight portable equipment.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of determining club head speed. There is a need for the method to determine club head and golf ball speed in real time. There is a need for the method to determine club head and golf ball speed while playing the game of golf or practicing at a range. There is a need for the method to be implemented using a hand-held device. There is a need for the method implement by a device that can be attached to, or integrated onto, a golf club for the purpose of monitoring club head and ball speed. Alternately, the system described may be used separately without significant alignment.